Immolation - Hope and Horror
Review: Composed in the same style as the album it preceded, this EP contains three songs which are simpler than the album material but served as a way for Immolation to rangefind the kind of aggressive, simple riffs they wanted to balance their more complicated melodic lead rhythm guitar parts. The Black Sabbath influence shows clearly here, with several riffs developing phrases from Sabbath melodies and the mood and tempo converging on the mid-paced hooks that made metal radio-friendly without sacrificing its slicing aggression.
1. Den of Thieves (3:20) 
2. The Condemned (5:04)
3. The Struggle of Hope and Horror (instrumental) (7:21)
The rock 'n roll influence becomes pronounced, however, with flashy solos over songs that exhibit very little tonal dynamic motion, and the bouncy rhythms that detracted from several tracks on the album. The instrumental fits into the intersection between progressive rock and later Mercyful Fate, being heavy on solos and dramatic riff changes, but essentially representing a cycle as stolid as the passage of day into night. While this EP will probably not stand on its own, it lends insight to the album when heard as a companion.